Leonard Cohen came to music quite late in his thirties, having been an established poet and novelist with various books published before he even picked up a guitar in serious contemplation of recording. His debut album Songs Of Leonard Cohen, released in 1968, was an acoustic masterpiece that instantly established Cohen in his new field, with songs including Suzanne and Sisters Of Mercy. Although initially mocked by critics, he built a strong following, particularly in the UK and follow-up album Songs From A Room (1969) reached Number 2 in the album chart, prompting a European tour. Peace-loving efforts followed with Songs Of Love And Hate (1971) and New Skin For The Old Ceremony (1974), and despite the critical slip-up that was the Phil Spector-produced Death Of A Ladies Man (1977), Cohen returned to form with Recent Songs (1979). A brief hiatus saw the man again focus on poetry and filmmaking, but fans were pleased with his musical comeback with Various Positions and then I'm Your Man in 1988 which saw his popularity grow to new heights. It was his 1992 album The Future that gave Cohen his biggest commercial success so far; his only release in the Nineties. He continued to push out albums into the new century with Ten New Songs (2001) and Dear Heather (2004), coinciding with his 70th birthday and hitting the UK top 40 album chart. Artist biography compiled by BDS/West 10. All rights reserved